Identities
by Lolita22
Summary: Mayhem and intrigue surrounds the captain as she deals with a rare illness, fights to keep her crew safe, and tries to discover the true identity of a stranger from the DQ who knows all about Earth and the Janeways. Come give this a shot! Complete.
1. Introductions

_Hi all! Thank you for reading me. Let's get down to business._

_**Disclaimers:**__ I am not the boss of the Star Trek franchise, the starship Voyager, or any of its crew, nor do I make any money from writing about them. I would, however, like to thank their real bosses for allowing us to play and explore further possibilities with their fine creations._

_**Special notes and requests:**_

_**A- **__Being that this is my first Voyager fic (the scientific/technical components are especially scary), any and all comments you might have for me would be greatly appreciated. _

_**B-**__I would also like to note that, while I take great care in correcting my texts, English is still my second language, so if you happen to notice any mistakes, I would be grateful for you to point them out to me._

_**Please be honest in your comments. I genuinely want to improve my writing, and I really want my stories to be entertaining!**_

**--**

**Stardate 54073.1**

**Act One**

"All right, Captain, hold still!"

The woman in question stifled a groan as a hypospray was pressed to her neck. The doctor's overly cheerful demeanor, as usual during these monthly appointments, grated on her nerves. It was bad enough that she'd had to live with her condition since birth. That she had to be regularly reminded of it by a singing hologram was nearly intolerable.

During the first four years of her life, the exceedingly rare genetic disorder had warranted continuous 'intensive' reeducation treatments, in a highly specialized facility, in order to control the strange agents that continuously destabilized her genetic matrix. In her opinion, the word 'intensive' was an insult, barely conveying the excruciating pain of her body battling against the poisonous medications. Thinking back on it, it reminded her of more barbaric times when harmful radiations and chemicals were used to treat diseases such as cancer, trading deadly illness for toxic misery. Every medical expert, along with her parents, had said that she couldn't possibly remember those treatments, that she had been too young. But she was convinced that she did. The sensation of having every cell in her body burn, then collapse unto itself, then rise from their ashes and start all over again, was one she could never forget.

After those first stages of physiological and neurological development, her genetic pattern had more or less stabilized, and she'd been sent home with her parents and the milder daily maintenance doses of medicine. By the time she'd reached adulthood, only monthly doses were required to keep her DNA stable, and the overall sensations of bone and skin disintegrating had been replaced by steady migraines. She thought it a pretty good trade. And no one outside her family, save her doctors, knew about her disease, not even Starfleet. Especially not Starfleet. The last thing she wanted from her superiors was to be labeled "sick". Such labels usually came with pity, and people rarely trusted people they pitied with important assignments. No, this was her secret, and she planned to keep it that way.

"There you are, Captain, all done! Your genomes continue to behave themselves beautifully."

"Thank you, Doctor."

It was still shy of six o'clock in the morning. Grinding her teeth against the momentary flash of fire through her veins, she set her captain's mask firmly into place and marched straight to the bridge.

**Act Two**

"Report!

- That last volley took out our weapons, Captain! Shields are down to 12 percent.

- Reroute auxiliary power to the shields. Tom, keep trying to break us out of their ships' formation.

- Yes Ma'am!

- Bridge to Engineering. B'Elanna, how long until the warp engine is back online?

- That last hit didn't leave me much to work with, Captain. I need at least ten minutes!"

_Wham!_

"You've got less than two. Do whatever it takes to get us out of here, Lieutenant. We can repair the damage later.

- I'll see what I can do. Torres out."

_Well, what a lovely day this is turning out to be_, Janeway mused.

About an hour earlier, they had just been sailing along, minding their own business, when they'd detected a small damaged freighter in their path. Further scans had suggested that the few crewmen aboard were wounded. They were of a species they'd never encountered before. She had given orders to stop and hail them. Upon receiving an answer, she had introduced herself as Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship _Voyager_, as was dictated by protocol, before offering her assistance to the aliens.

Unfortunately, the green-horned aliens had panicked almost immediately, screaming at her to leave them alone while frantically tapping the same button and sending some sort of signal into subspace. It was almost funny. Ensign Kim had compared the signal to Earth's Morse code. Never one to outstay her welcome, the captain had apologized to the aliens for disturbing them and quickly ordered her helmsman to resume course. As a precaution, she had also ordered continuous scans of the region, in case whatever had spooked them was still around. Normally, she relished a challenge, but for once, she'd secretly hoped that that would be the end of it. Her early morning gene therapy had left her with a worse headache than usual, and she could have sworn her blood was still seething.

For approximately fifty-six minutes, it had looked as though they were going to get away with it. They had been travelling at warp 6, which was enough to outrun most of the ships they had encountered so far, with no sign of life other than their own. And then, out of nowhere, a squadron of twelve small ships had popped out of subspace, instantly surrounding _Voyager_. Without so much as a hello, the alien fleet had opened fire. Janeway had reacted immediately to defend her ship, but the alien weapons were exceptionally powerful. In between hits, Seven of Nine, from her post in Astrometrics, had verified that the ships held the same markings as the freighter they had encountered earlier, and that their attackers were of the same species. Janeway knew that the alien squadron was most likely responding to the distressed message the freighter had sent into subspace, but thought there was little she could do about it now. When none of the alien ships had responded to her hails, she'd concentrated on defending what was hers, and ordered Lieutenant Tuvok to keep firing.

_And now_, she thought, _here we are_, _Voyager_'s structural integrity hanging on by the proverbial thread, its engineering team making little progress with the engine that would have allowed them to escape to safety (not that she blamed them, considering the circumstances), and worst of all, the longest casualty list she'd had since the Caretaker had pulled their vessel into the Delta Quadrant. Though she never stopped guiding her crew's defensive efforts into a strategic whole, some small part of her registered that this time, they were in over their heads. After all she and her crew had been through, they were being demolished by these merciless strangers in four minutes flat, and she didn't even know why.

Ignoring the searing pain of her blood boiling in her temples, she offered a small prayer to the gods she didn't believe in, set her jaw and kept right on fighting.

**Act Three**

There was a brilliant flash of green, and the alien squadron momentarily ceased fire. Out of that flash, and right in front of _Voyager_, emerged another, rounder vessel. For a moment that seemed like an eternity, it just floated there, and time seemed to stop. Though _Voyager_'s scans couldn't penetrate its hull, the visible markings on it were radically different from those of the attacking squadron, or for that matter, any other vessel they had encountered before. And then, just as suddenly, sharp yellow rays shot out of the new ship and reached half of the enemy ships, causing them to instantly black out. It was as if they had suffered an instant power failure. The remaining ships took the hint, put a tractor beam on their damaged friends, and fled the vicinity. Back on _Voyager_, it seemed that the bulkheads themselves were deeply sighing in relief. Their rescuers hailed.

Releasing the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding, the captain nodded, signaling Harry to open a channel. The image on the viewscreen shifted to reveal the fresh female face of their benefactor. "Good morning, there! You know, you shouldn't get yourselves into armed conflicts before breakfast. It's bad for the digestion."

Kathryn didn't know what surprised her more: the young woman's cavalier attitude towards the near destruction of her ship, or her startling resemblance to humans. Her creamy skin showed just the hint of freckles, and her fiery red curls framed a delicate face and mischievous amber-blue eyes. As unique as they were, there was something vaguely familiar about those eyes. Lost in her contemplation of this stranger, Janeway nearly forgot to answer her. "Thanks for the advice. Don't get me wrong, we're grateful for the rescue, but… who are you?" Their rescuer laughed, and Kathryn couldn't help but stare. Though there was definitely something exotic about her features, she couldn't shake the feeling that this woman looked so human.

Still laughing with her eyes, the stranger finally answered, "Yes, of course, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Captain Janeway. And you are?"

_**And voilà! The stage is set.**_

_**So, what do you think so far? Good, bad or indifferent, please review!**_


	2. Questions

**Act Four**

In a rare show of uncertainty, the entire bridge crew of _Voyager_ was struck dumb. After what felt like a small eternity, it was Chakotay who spoke first. "I'm sorry, did you say you were Captain Janeway?" The stranger's grin only widened. "Why yes, I did. Is your communication system malfunctioning, or does my reputation precede me?"

This time, it was Tuvok who addressed the stranger. "Forgive us our surprise, Captain. It's just that we already know a Captain Janeway, and she's not you." A quick flash of annoyance passed in the woman's eyes, but her reply made it obvious that it wasn't directed at them. "You're kidding? My idiot sister Myrial must have been impersonating me again. I'm going to have to find her and invent special new methods of torture for her." She brightened. "Thanks for the tip, but you still haven't answered my original question. You are…?"

Kathryn was puzzled. Either this was a very elaborate setup, or this woman truly didn't know what they were talking about. Though there was some precedent for the former, her intuition strongly pointed toward the latter. And Kathryn Janeway always trusted her intuition. She decided to confront the stranger. "I am Captain Janeway. Of the Federation Starship _Voyager_."

There was a beat of silence.

That is, until their rescuer erupted into a full-on belly laugh.

"You're joking, right? I have to admit, I haven't met many people who can narrowly escape death and destruction, and bounce right back to their rescuers with a prank. I'm impressed!" But her giggles slowly subsided as she took in the looks of consternation on all of their faces. She finally asked, "Are you serious?" Kathryn nodded. They all did. Another beat. This time, it was the stranger who looked dumbfounded. She examined Kathryn for a long time before she spoke again. "And… you're from Earth?"

So, Janeway mused, she'd heard of Starfleet before. Unless _Voyager_'s own reputation preceded them, which she very much doubted, this woman was no stranger to their home world. "Yes, we're from Earth. It appears we have much to discuss, but I'm afraid it'll have to wait. My ship is heavily damaged, and there are wounded to see to." _Though that last one was just an excuse_, she thought. She knew full well that the rest of her crew had begun organizing the wounded as soon as the shooting had stopped. They had been well trained on what to do in this sort of emergency. She really just wanted a little time to regroup.

If the other Janeway suspected anything, she let it go. "Of course, Captain. I have my own highly trained medical personnel on board, and I'm a fairly competent medic myself. May we be of any assistance?" Though slightly surprised by this offer, a quick look at her Chief of Security told Kathryn that they could not afford to turn down the help.

"Yes, thank you. Please stand by for transport."

"That won't be necessary, Captain. We can easily dock a small vessel to your ship, and bring medical supplies along with us. We'll be with you in approximately four minutes."

"Very well, then. We'll have the shuttle bay ready, you can dock in there. I just have one last question. What is your full name?"

Silence resonated on both ships before the stranger finally answered,

"My name is Aislyn, Mary Aislyn Janeway. And yours?"

"Kathryn. Kathryn Elisabeth Janeway … I'm pleased to meet you, Aislyn."

"Likewise, Kathryn. I'll see you in four minutes."

And with that, Captain Mary Aislyn Janeway ended the transmission.

_**So, dear readers, what are your reactions to this**__** twist of events?**_

_**Important **__**A/N: **__I meant to give you some clues in this chapter, so for those of you who aren't familiar with that sort of thing, I should tell you that Aislyn is a very Irish name. (Well, it's really Aislin, but I figured that a few centuries would most likely spawn a variation on the spelling of a name, and I thought it looked prettier with a y. Author's prerogative ;). Also, using Mary as a first name is a fairly common occurrence in Catholic daughters' names, including (and maybe especially) Irish ones. So there you go.:)_

_**A very big thank you goes to Aislinn Carter**__ for informing me that Aislin is pronounced ash-lynn. Indeed, while those baby naming sites are very useful for researching the origins and meanings of name, they rarely offer any information on pronunciation._

_Oh, and in case you were wondering, __**the literal meaning of Aislin is "dream, vision."**_


	3. Reactions

_**To my reviewers, **__thank you for your helpful advice and invaluable feedback. I have used it to try and improve the dialogues in Act 7. I've been tweaking, practicing, enlisting help and tweaking some more, and I hope you like the final result. I've also used your comments to make Act 8 more fluid and less confusing. Please note that the brand new re-designed Act 8 has been moved to Chapter 4, for your convenience._

_**To my **__**brand new beta reader, Singing Violin:**__ very big thanks for your help, especially with all those pesky punctuation rules of the English language. Without you, I'd still be in the dialogue dark ages ;) To the others, please note that SV hasn't seen the final version, and that any remaining flaws are due to my own pig-headed insistence for doing things myself.:)_

**Stardate 54073.1 (cont'd)**

**Act Five**

On _Voyager_, Captain Janeway reacted immediately. "Tuvok: in a second, I want you to make sure the shuttle bay is cleared for docking, and that a security detail is ready to meet their medical team. Have our people escort them to low security areas to start, and we'll go from there. Join us again as soon as you can. Chakotay: make sure someone's manning the bridge and keeping tabs on Engineering. The rest of you, get the senior staff together. I want a meeting. We can talk in Sickbay if it's more convenient, but I want all of my senior officers to be on the same page. _Now_." She practically bit off the last word.

She felt, more than she heard, her people scrambling around her to do their part, but somehow her own feet seemed nailed to the floor. Suddenly, breathing in and out in a constant rhythm became a very difficult operation, and she felt herself start to shake. If she wasn't mistaken, she was about to panic for the first time of her adult life, and that was one premiere she thought they could all do without.

"Kathryn?" She felt something on her arm, and she jumped back as if a Hirogen hunter were after her. Whipping her head around, she saw it was only Chakotay, hands lifted in the air in a placating gesture, an infuriatingly gentle look of concern on his face. He'd probably just stroked her, she realized now. She tried to calm down, but her chest felt like it might explode at any second.

"Kathryn, are you all right?" _Stupid question_, she thought_._ "I need a moment alone. I'll be in my Ready Room. Contact me when we're ready." And with that, she walked away from him as fast as she could manage without actually running. She was insanely grateful that he didn't try to follow her.

**Act Six**

By the time the Ready Room doors swished shut behind her, she was practically running to her desk. Tripping on the small step in front of it, she braced both hands on the front of the desk to steady herself. It seemed a small eternity passed over her while she just held herself there, breathing, drawing strength from the solid piece of furniture that had witnessed so much work and withstood so many crises. Odd, she had never considered herself the poetic type before. Apparently, there was a first time for everything.

Looking up slightly, she caught sight of a fine silver engraving of the traditional Irish harp. It took a moment for her to recognize the back of the mirror she had recently started keeping here. Slowly straightening, she delicately picked it up and, bracing herself, brought it to her face.

God, she looked like a doe in the headlights. And God, she'd called out to Him more times that day than she had in her entire atheist life. And it wasn't even lunchtime yet. She needed to get a grip on herself if she was going to pull her ship together, and decipher this enigma of the stranger with her own family's name. What was it about this woman that made her feel like her whole world had just turned upside down? _Well, look on the bright side, _she said to herself, _at least I can't feel the sting of this morning's medicine anymore. Be careful what you wish for, huh?_

She was starting to chuckle to herself when she heard the familiar chirp of her comm badge.

"Chakotay to Janeway. We're all piling up in the doctor's office. We're ready to start the meeting.

-Thank you Commander. I'm on my way. Janeway out." And with that, she set the mirror down and strode purposefully out the door.

**Act Seven**

When Captain Kathryn Janeway walked into the small office currently serving as a briefing room, her stance was a study in competent authority as she addressed her most trusted people. "I take it you've all been informed of what happened on the bridge?" They all nodded, looking as shell-shocked as she had felt only moments ago. Neelix looked like he was about to say something, but a nudge from Chakotay silenced him. Satisfied—and more than a little grateful to her first officer for watching her back, she opened the discussion.

"All right then. We may have hit a rough spot, but this isn't our first, and we've always been able to pull through. So right now, our job is to deal with it, one step at a time. Got that?" She paused to make sure she had everyone with her. She needed them to be strong if they were going to rebuild _Voyager_. When they all met her gaze with confidence, she plunged.

"Our first priority is the crew of _Voyager_. I want to make sure everyone gets the medical attention that they need. Doctor, as usual, you'll be in charge of this, and you'll have Mr. Paris with you until everybody's been treated. Aislyn's team should be of considerable help in this area as well, even though there's still a lot that we don't know about them. Tuvok, you're to personally work with the doctor to direct and coordinate their efforts with his, while having security details keeping a discreet eye on them. Trust them, but trust them gradually. Is that understood?" All three men nodded. "Good."

"Next on the list is the ship's status. Torres, I'm putting you in charge of our efforts in that department. As of right now and until further notice, I'm leaving the coordination and execution of repairs of our ship in your very capable hands. You may use any help you can get, provided they have medical clearance." If B'Elanna was at all surprised by this assignment, Kathryn was grateful that she didn't show it. After all, it wasn't as if the engineer had never done it before. The command part of it just hadn't been official.

Kathryn continued dishing out assignments. "Okay. While all of this is going on, I'll need someone to man the Bridge, watching the sensors and making sure we don't get any more surprise visitors. Ensign Kim, that's where you come in. You'll take the first shift, starting after this meeting, and Chakotay will work out a schedule later. Also, people are going to get hungry, they're going to get tired, and they're going to get dirty. Neelix, I'm counting on you to make sure everybody, including our guests, is taken care of in that respect."

"You've got it, Captain. Don't worry about a thing, I'll take care of everything. In fact, I –"

"Thank you, Neelix. Now that that's settled…" She took a deep breath.

Surveying the rest of her senior officers, she had to suppress an affectionate smile as she noticed Seven's discomfiture at being the only one left without an important assignment. She knew her protégée always wanted more responsibilities, but this time, she needed something different from her. Seven couldn't have known she was about to be trusted with the most delicate assignment of all. The captain inhaled one last time before she dove in.

"Now that that's settled," she repeated, "it's time to talk about what's really on our minds: the stranger who calls herself Captain Janeway." A few throats were cleared, and there was some audible shuffling of feet. It seemed everybody had an opinion, but nobody dared to break the ice. Except of course for Seven of Nine.

"Her presence here is indeed puzzling. We have encountered impostors before, and she may be one as well. Unfortunately, I see no way to confirm her identity at this time. My first attempts to scan her vessel were unsuccessful, but a large portion of our sensor array sustained heavy damage during the altercation. I may be able to devise an alternate scanning method once the Astrometrics lab is fully operational again. In the meantime, her actions have demonstrated that she has the means to disable us, if not destroy us, at any time. I recommend caution."

Everyone paused to consider this. They all knew Seven's penchant for paranoia, but this time, circumstances made it harder to argue with her. B'Elanna was the first to respond, and for once, she couldn't find the will to butt heads with the former drone.

"It does seem pretty convenient that we would sustain heavy damage in an unprovoked attack by nameless aliens, and then another Janeway would suddenly pop out of nowhere and come to the rescue. Maybe she wants something from us, and staged this whole thing in the hopes that our gratitude would somehow make us easier to manipulate. I mean, out here in the Delta Quadrant, what are the odds that two genuine Janeways would find each other like this?"

"In theory, I'd agree with you," Tom replied, "but I was there; I saw the look on her face. I thought she looked just as shocked as we were to find another Janeway out here, and I'm usually pretty good at knowing a con when I see one." This last comment earned a few smirks, even from their resident Vulcan. Well, it was as close as it could come to a smirk on his expressionless face, as he logically stated, "You have been wrong before, Lieutenant. Is it not possible that you could be mistaken now?"

"Well yeah, but…" He swiveled his head. "Commander, you were there too. What did you think?"

At Tom's question, everyone turned to Chakotay, who rarely spoke without carefully weighing his words first. "Well, she seemed sincere, in her shock to meet another Janeway, at least. I did notice that she didn't offer any help, or try to invite herself in, until our captain introduced herself. In fact, she didn't seem to care who or what we were, one way or another, up until that point."

At this subtle observation, Tuvok lifted a rigid eyebrow. "The Commander has a valid point. If someone were to attempt to gain _Voyager_'s trust by provoking feelings of gratitude, their most logical course of action would be to offer us help immediately. However, it would be illogical to base any conclusion on this simple speculation. We still cannot be certain that this other Janeway is, or isn't, trustworthy."

Neelix piped up, "Well, sure, but then again, isn't that the risk we always take, no matter whom we meet out here?"

As he usually did, the doctor rolled his eyes at the Talaxian's question. "Mr. Neelix, as usual, you've shown a remarkable talent for stating the obvious. The trouble is, most strangers we meet don't carry a name with such a strong emotional resonance, nor with such ties to our beloved home-world, which is approximately fifty thousand light-years from here. Even if this Janeway woman is who she says she is, that only leads to more questions: how did she get here? Who are her people? How is she linked to our own captain's family?"

After that comment, everybody held their breath, watching for their captain's reaction, but she didn't so much as blink.

When it seemed a new tension was seeping through the room, Harry chimed in, "Hey, doesn't anybody want to know what I think of her?"

This immediately provoked Tom's sarcasm. "Sorry Harry, you don't exactly have a brilliant track record when it comes to reading women."

"I resent that," Harry grumbled good-naturedly as the rest of the officers chuckled. It felt good to joke around bit; consciously or not, it reminded everyone that no matter how confusing things got around them, they would always be a family.

Speaking of family, this was the one thing Seven of Nine was unwilling to compromise. "Even if she is sincere, and had no previous knowledge of _Voyager_, that still does not explain how another Janeway came to be in this vicinity at the exact moment the hostile aliens were about to destroy us. Such an important coincidence is statistically improbable."

"Perhaps, or perhaps not," Tuvok analyzed. "When we first encountered the freighter, the aliens on board did not panic until our captain identified herself. I noticed the other Captain Janeway did not mention her first name when she first introduced herself to us, nor did she identify her vessel, her people or her alliances. I also noticed that she hesitated before revealing her full name to our captain when she requested it, and that she resisted divulging any further information. If that is in fact her practice, it is reasonable to assume that she and her vessel are only known by the captain's surname throughout this sector. If that is the case, it is possible that the aliens occupying the freighter mistook our Captain Janeway for her, and reacted accordingly."

It took a moment for everyone to sort through the captains in Tuvok's speech, yet none of the staff dared use their captain's first name, even for the sake of clarity. It was Tom who reacted first. "Hey, that actually makes sense. Their fear of 'Captain Janeway' was off the charts, even for a paranoid xenophobic species, and Aislyn Janeway didn't seem to have any qualms about firing on the alien squadron. Plus, we never found out what caused the damage on that first freighter. For all we know, it could have been Janeway, you know, the other one. Maybe she and these aliens are already in some sort of conflict, and _Voyager_ just got caught in the crossfire by mistake."

B'Elanna gave an unladylike snort. "Some mistake. If the firing hadn't stopped when it did, our warp core would have destabilized and breached. We'd all be plasma dust right now."

"Be that as it may," Chakotay interjected, "that's still the most sensible theory we've heard so far. If there really is a pre-existing armed conflict between Aislyn Janeway and those aliens, then it isn't a stretch to think that she was hunting them down, or that she was at least on the lookout for their warships and their weapons signature. In that scenario, her tracing the squadron was inevitable, and finding us here was probably just a sideshow for her. She didn't particularly seem concerned until she realized who Kathryn was." _There, he'd used her first name, _Kathryn thought_. _Under the circumstances, she supposed she was going to have to get used to it. It seemed protocol didn't cover everything after all.

Her musings were interrupted by Neelix's excited questions. "Well, when she did find out, what was her reaction? Was she excited?" _Dear Neelix_, Kathryn thought, _always the family man, even if the family isn't his own_. She wasn't sure whether to be amused or exasperated. Still, the question had had to be asked. It was Ensign Kim who answered it.

"Well not exactly," Harry pondered. "She did start asking questions, but she was really cautious about it. I guess she was just as thrown by all this as we were, and for all we know, she's having her own meeting right now, and being just as suspicious."

"Well, that's certainly one possibility," Chakotay concluded, "and so far, it seems the most likely. I suggest we proceed under this assumption for now, but keep our eyes open for any indication that she might be hostile."

"Agreed. But we're going to do more than wait around for her to make a move." It was Kathryn's first vocal contribution to this discussion, and this didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the crew. "I intend to investigate her and her people thoroughly. I want to know everything I can about her, her crew, her alliances, her enemies, and her technology. I know what you're all thinking." Kathryn added before anyone could say anything. "You're thinking that if she really is a Janeway, and is somehow connected to Earth, she might have the means to get there in what would have to be a relatively short time, judging by her apparently young age. And if she has the means to make the trip herself, she might be the key to helping us with our own journey home."

She was right of course: the thought had crossed all of their minds, but those who hoped for it most hadn't dared to speak it. Whether it was out of respect for their captain's personal stake in this stranger or simple superstition, she wasn't sure. As for her more logically-oriented crewmembers, they wouldn't have presumed anything until the stranger's identity had been confirmed.

Reading their silence like a book, she continued, "I know we're in a particularly vulnerable state right now. Our ship is heavily damaged, and our very hopes and dreams could be on the line with this stranger. So we're all going to take this one step at a time, including me. First, we concentrate on nursing our crew and our ship back to health, so we can be at our best to face whatever we'll need to face. In the meantime, I won't waste an opportunity to find out more about this stranger. Seven, I need your help, your… unique abilities. Aislyn's medical team came on board using one of their vessels. Tuvok, did they leave anyone behind to guard it?"

"No, they did not."

"Perfect. Seven, while Aislyn's crew is looking after the wounded, you're going to the shuttle bay to study their ship. Gain access to whatever systems you can. I'm counting on your eidetic memory, along with your formidable tactical instincts, to bring back any and all relevant information you can find, and we'll go from there. Don't do anything that might hinder or harm them. This is strictly a reconnaissance mission, and you'll report your findings directly to me. Is that understood?"

The expression—for it really was an expression—on Seven's face was unreadable. Her answer, however, was unequivocal.

"Very well, Captain. I will proceed."

"Oh, and Seven, one last thing… don't get caught."

The officer in question merely nodded. Kathryn knew it took a lot more than a little snooping on her own turf to ruffle the young woman's feathers. Even as it irritated her, it was one of the things she admired most about Seven… not that she'd ever admit it to her of course.

Kathryn decided it was time to wrap up the meeting. "All right then, everybody. Just so we're clear: unless and until we find clear evidence of hostile intentions on their part, we treat Aislyn Janeway and her crew with the same respect and consideration we would any other guest. You have your assignments. Any problems concerning _Voyager_, go to Chakotay. Seven and I will proceed with our investigations on a separate front. If there's nothing else…? Dismissed."

As she watched her people file out of the small room, she sensed her first officer lagging behind, waiting to talk to her privately. She could tell he was working himself up to confront her, and knew exactly what he was going to say. She also knew that he was probably right, but that didn't mean she was going to make the upcoming argument any easier for him. She never had before, and she certainly didn't intend to start now. She spoke without turning. "Something on your mind, Commander?"

"Whether you choose to admit it or not, this encounter with another Captain Janeway is affecting you on a very personal level. By trying to ignore that, you're overcompensating. A spying mission? Since when do we do that sort of thing, Kathryn?"

"Since we've been dealing with a possible impostor who might have a hidden agenda, and who's also a clear threat to her enemies." Janeway answered firmly. "I'm simply trying to find out whether we fall into that category."

Her first officer frowned. "We might very well be launching ourselves into that category if she finds out you've sent a spy after her before you've even greeted her in person, and after she's freely offered to treat your crew no less."

"That's a risk I'm prepared to take," the captain declared.

"Are you?" Chakotay questioned. "You're the one who taught me about diplomacy, about how to forge alliances by making the first step towards trust, even going so far as standing down our weapons, leaving us vulnerable on more than one occasion to show your good faith to an enemy. You were always proven right before; why change now?"

"There's too much at stake this time, Chakotay," Kathryn hedged.

"For whom?" the commander challenged. "For _Voyager_, or for you?"

The question was a verbal slap in the face. It galled her that he would be so blunt, and it only made it worse that he was absolutely right. Refusing to admit it, she stonewalled him. Chakotay only plowed on.

"You're not acting like yourself either. The crew is used to your demanding to be kept informed of everything that's going on, even lending a hand in the repairs. It's not like you to completely wash yourself of responsibilities. They can tell that you've been thrown off-balance by this stranger, and they're not accustomed to seeing you like that. They're worried about you."

"What, are you a mind reader now?" her tone was a perfect study in angry sarcasm.

Chakotay only grinned. "I could see it in their faces. And so could you," he added when she laughingly rolled her eyes at him. "Look, all I'm saying is, they're worried about you, and they want to help you in any way they can. They really do care about you, Kathryn, and not just because you're their captain." He paused, weighing his words, before adding, "Taking on more responsibilities is one thing, and they'll gladly do it for you. But for once, you might consider letting them in on a more personal level. Some of them might surprise you."

Kathryn gave a wary, almost teary grin—the mark of a truly tired soul. The antithesis in emotions was not lost on Chakotay, and so he added, "We're a team, Kathryn. Let us help."

She just nodded, which was her way of telling him she would at least consider it. Understanding this, Chakotay made the next move. He tapped his comm badge.

"Chakotay to Tuvok."

"Go ahead, Commander."

"Where's Aislyn right now?"

"She is in the Mess Hall," replied the security chief, "where most of the wounded have been assembled for treatment. The doctor is on his way there as well."

"All right, thank you Tuvok. Chakotay out." And with that, he flashed his dimples to his superior officer.

When Kathryn just glared, he spelled it out for her. "Look, no one's blaming you for being thrown by all this. Finding possible new relatives is a rocky ride even under the best of circumstances. Having to balance your crew's welfare on top of that is a hell of a lot to ask for, and no one's expecting you to do this alone. I'm happy to take over ship's status for a while. Why don't you join Aislyn in the Mess Hall, and see what sort of medic — and person — she really is. No tricks," he added, anticipating her intentions.

Her infamous 'death glare' only intensified. For a full ten seconds, she looked like she wanted to scream at him and for the rest of the world to leave her the hell alone. Facing such formidable ire, a lesser man would have promptly evacuated the premises. But Chakotay knew better. As he'd anticipated, he saw the temper wash out of her in an irritated sigh.

"All right. I suppose that's fair. You get started on those deck-by-deck reports. I'll be in the Mess Hall."

She started to walk out of the small office, but even from behind, she could sense the triumphant smile under her first officer's cool and reasonable mask. It should have infuriated her. Instead, it reassured her that they knew each other so well. Pausing near the door, she turned around and added, "Oh, and Chakotay? Thanks." She didn't need to tell him what she was thanking him for. He already knew.

_**Okay, this concludes what I promise will be the only painfully long chapter. But hey, I had to establish the plot, right? **__**Tell me what you think so far.**_


	4. Conversations

_**A**__**gain, my gratitude goes to Singing Violin**__, my brand new beta-reader, for her helpful questions, comments and corrections. She hasn't seen the final draft of this chapter either, so any remaining flaws are on me. _

_**To my reviewers, **__thank you for your helpful advice and invaluable feedback. I have used it to try and improve the dialogues in Act 7 (see chapter 3). I've been tweaking, practicing, enlisting help and tweaking some more, and I hope you like the final result. I've also used your comments as a springboard to make Act 8 more fluid and less confusing. _

_**Please note that Act 8**__**, in its brand new redesigned form, has been moved to Chapter 4.**_

**Stardate 54073.1 (cont'd)**

**Act Eight**

As Kathryn headed for the Mess Hall, she reflected on what her first officer had said and mentally shook herself. He was right: she was panicking. Sustaining her crew, counting the many casualties she wouldn't allow herself to think about, and evaluating the extent of the damage to _Voyager_ would have been challenging enough in and of itself. Added to that, she had to uncover this stranger's intentions whilst keeping her own flooding emotions in check. Chakotay was right: she was overcompensating, and just begging for trouble. If nothing else, her years of training and studying other leaders' mistakes had all pointed out to this: launching into action by ignoring your personal demons only made them manifest louder, and in much deadlier ways. In this case, she had no choice but to act, but she would have to acknowledge her own demons – and give them a voice – if she were to act soundly.

She decided to start right away. Pausing near the door to the Mess Hall, she took a deep breath, and let her emotions toward Aislyn rise within her. She named them each, ticking them off like items in an inventory list: fear, nervousness, anxiety… longing? Yes – she longed for a bit of family out here in the Delta Quadrant. Who among them didn't? Not to mention, each being the captain of their own ship made them equals. No matter how close she'd grown to the members of her crew, it wasn't the same as finding a true partner, someone whose fate didn't rest in her hands and with whom she could truly be honest. _It's only natural to want that_, she realized. It now seemed silly to her that she had blown such natural emotions out of proportion. By reassuring her, this thought allowed her to steady herself again.

She then felt something else growing inside her… curiosity. Simple, girly curiosity that went beyond who Aislyn was or where she came from. What was Aislyn was really like under her own captain's mask? What did she like to eat? How did she decorate her quarters? What did she do for fun? Did she have any quirky habits? Did she like to flirt with every man she met, indulging in occasional dalliances, or was she in love with someone? Would she like coffee if she tasted it? _Let's face it, I've always been nosy._

Well, she'd always looked forward to meeting aliens, hoping the tedious diplomatic missions would reveal the occasional surprise. _But this time, I want more, so much more. _It startled her that she could admit that to herself._ I'm afraid she might be an impostor, but I'm even more afraid she really is a Janeway, because then there's a risk that a part of my family won't want anything to do with me. _She tried to tell herself that was silly, that her real family was home on Earth anyway, but she couldn't convince herself, so she accepted it. She acknowledged that there was someone here that she wanted to befriend and that might not want to reciprocate. Well, she would try her best, and if it didn't work out, she would move on, like she always had.

She used the thought to steel herself and come up with a plan. Yes, she wanted real intimacy with a friend, but most of all she wanted her crew to be safe. So she would get to know Aislyn, but she would be cautious about it. She would subtly direct the conversation so she might learn who she is, what she stands for, what her mission is. She'd also pick up a few helpful hints about their technology, especially their engine core. And while she was at it, if she could learn something personal about this woman, it would be all the better. She just had to take it all one step at a time. Taking one last steadying breath, she straightened and entered the Mess Hall.

And was greeted by chaos.

In the complex scene before her, Captain Kathryn Janeway noticed exactly three things. First, about a dozen heavily wounded Starfleet officers were lying in a row, motionless on the ground. Second, a half-dozen Borg drones were serenely walking all around them. Third, the ensign lying nearest her let out an angelic sigh as two assimilation tubules latched onto his neck.

Captain Mary Aislyn Janeway chose that moment to walk into view with a brilliant smile on her face.

**Act Nine**

_Then again_, Kathryn mused, _walking isn't really the right word. Sauntering is more like it._ Now that she saw this other Janeway in person, she could watch her whole body follow her every action with fluid motion, her dangerously toned muscles articulating themselves around a thin and elegant frame. It then became obvious to Kathryn that, despite her human name and face, Aislyn was definitely of an alien race, one that they had never encountered before. And yet, everything about her somehow felt intensely familiar. As she addressed the stranger she'd hoped to get to know better, Kathryn Janeway let out a resigned sigh. "You might have mentioned before that your medical team was all Borg, or that you were using their spare parts as medical equipment."

Aislyn didn't even blink. "Firstly," the fiery captain replied breezily, "only half of my team is Borg. Secondly, we're only using the tubules because your people ran out of hyposprays and couldn't afford the rations to replicate new ones. Thirdly, and most importantly, so what? You yourself didn't mention your Chief Medical Officer was a holobrat."

"I'm a _hologram_!" the doctor retorted indignantly. He seemed to literally pop out from behind a nearby cybernetic nurse. "And it's hardly the same thing!"

"Why not?" The look on Aislyn's lightly-freckled face was a study in affronted innocence.

One thing that could be said for the doctor was that he rarely hesitated to put his foot in his mouth when it really counted. "Because the Borg are commonly viewed as one of the worst threats to life as we know it in the entire Universe!" This earned him a stony glare from the surrounding representatives of the species. Aislyn merely raised a delicate eyebrow.

"I repeat: so what? Some of the most evil beings I've ever met were holo_grams_, whose very existence defies every pre-established notion of life as we know it, and you don't see _me_ holding that against you." The whole time Aislyn was arguing, she was competently treating and bandaging an ensign's plasma burnt hands and face. _Efficient,_ Kathryn thought, internally smiling at her spontaneous use of Seven's favorite word. But the doctor was still on the warpath.

"I find it difficult to believe that a hologram could be automatically associated with evil!"

"It's true. My stepfather programmed a crude and violent gang of holographic teenagers to scare burglars away from our small town. Trouble is, they ran out of thugs to terrorize and came after us kids instead." While still apparently addressing the doctor, Aislyn shifted her attention to Kathryn. "I remember my cousin Jimmy once followed one to a snake pit because she'd told him that the ravine was were all the fluffy little bunnies lived. The poor kid ran home crying like all of Hell was after him. He couldn't walk within a meter of a rock or gully without panicking after that; he was convinced there would be a big venom-spitting serpent hiding under there. He's got a family of his own now, on a farm to please his wife, and he still refuses to live on ground level with the rocks. They had to hike their three-story farmhouse on stilts, and cover the stilts with barbed wire no less, just so he could sleep at night."

"Talk about your typical Irish storytelling. You're just exaggerating to make your silly little point."

"That's enough, Doctor." Kathryn had had it with his bickering, and she stared him down to make her own point. "You can argue about your respective kinds' reputation later. Right now, there are wounded to see to." _How dare he_, she thought to herself. She'd been fascinated by the stranger's story, and stunned by how easily it had come, not to mention relieved to see that she was in fact taking good care of her crew. The last thing she wanted was for the doctor to antagonize her just when she was making the first step toward getting to know her.

She expected Aislyn to be offended, but instead, the young woman just grinned. She even seemed to be enjoying this argument. Added to her penchant for storytelling, Kathryn mused, this was another trait Aislyn apparently shared with her own Irish ancestors. The doctor's bratty voice snapped her out of her reverie.

"Yes of course, Captain, but don't you see? She has to be lying." While he didn't give up, he did start paying more attention to the wounded as he turned on Aislyn again. "If that story were true, why would Jimmy be allowed anywhere near the hologram in the first place? Where were his parents, or his guardians, to keep him from entering the perimeter?"

"Perimeter?" Aislyn echoed. "You make the town sound like a warzone."

"Oh, don't be obtuse. I just meant… aren't your holograms confined to a single room?"

Aislyn simply lifted a shoulder, which was apparently the closest thing to a shrug her graceful physiology would allow. She then calmly answered his question as if he hadn't just insulted her. "No. We don't have prisons where I'm from. Our government believes in rehabilitation."

Whichever answer the doctor was expecting, the look on his face made it clear that that was not it. Kathryn, who'd begun to pitch in with the wounded, was also surprised by this response. She wasn't missing a word of the exchange as the somewhat confused doctor explained further.

"I didn't mean it that way. Don't you need a specially designed room, with holo-emitters configured in a grid, to create and support holographic projections? Like a holodeck?"

"Holodeck?" Aislyn repeated, testing out each syllable as if she'd never seen them used together before.

"Yes," the doctor encouraged. "A room designed and reserved for creating holographic environments."

"Environments. You mean like trees?" There was a slight disbelieving note in her tone of voice.

"Well, yes, among other things. You can design a holodeck into an infinity of places: a tropical paradise, a medieval Irish village, an exclusive golf course… anything."

"Huh, interesting concept. We don't have those. We just have boosters installed all over town to relay the holographic signals emanating from the main projector at my stepfather's house. I think the technology was derived from old Earth cell phone towers."

This time, it was Kathryn's turn to be astonished. "You're familiar with ancient Earth technology?"

"Sure." Aislyn answered casually. "My stepfather's grandfather was a historian, and the evolution of Earth's technology was his specialty. They would spend hours together in the attic, studying old treasures. His grandfather taught him everything he knew."

But the doctor didn't care about that. His attention had focused on something else, something incredibly significant to his own kind, and he was too caught up in the possibilities to realize the implications of a foreign Captain Janeway and her ancestors being intimately familiar with Earth's history. He immediately cut back into the conversation. "You mean to say that all your holograms have the same freedom of movement as organics?"

Aislyn merely shrugged again. "Well, in geography, yes. Within the town limits anyway. More so, if you consider they can walk through walls and various objects. You see, unlike you, Doctor, they have no physical substance. They can't touch people or manipulate objects. Strictly physically speaking, they're just images. Creepy, talking, sentient images mind you, but still images. So they need to manipulate people into doing things for them, or in scaring themselves, like they did to Jimmy. They've gotten very good at it." For once, the doctor was left speechless. It was Kathryn who spoke again.

"Why haven't we heard about any of this?"

This earned her another lift of Aislyn's shoulder. "Well, unless you visited my hometown, you wouldn't have, I suppose. We don't exactly advertise."

"And what is your hometown?" Kathryn inquired.

Aislyn snorted. Well, strictly speaking, the gesture was too regal to qualify as a snort, but nevertheless, that's how Kathryn interpreted the sudden rush of air from her nostrils and the slight curving of her lips before she answered, "Freakshow, Indiana."

At Kathryn's shocked stare, Aislyn just smiled. "Well, that's what we call it anyway. That's because of—you guessed it—all the freaks that live there, including the holobrats. Even some of the locals have forgotten its original name. It used to be called Guinness, on account of the brewery. Not much classier, if you ask me." But that wasn't the part that had caught Kathryn's attention.

"You said you're from Indiana, the state of Indiana? As in the United States of America?"

At this, Aislyn turned, an almost feline movement that started with her head and was echoed through her entire body. She eyed Kathryn cautiously, studying her as if debating whether or not she should answer her. "Not exactly. Our Indiana was named after Earth's Indiana, because most of her early settlers came from there. As they came to share our planet with other settlers, Indiana became just one of many regions. As for the planet itself, they decided to keep everybody happy and gave it an all new completely neutral politically-correct name."

"Which is?" Kathryn prompted. Aislyn briefly hesitated, then shrugged and focused back on her work, as if deciding she may as well go all the way.

"Casa Nostra. I know, it's such an original name, it defies all convention." Kathryn couldn't help but be amused at the woman's tone of affectionate sarcasm. Then Aislyn added, "It's located approximately thirty thousand light-years from here, just shy of the border our sector shares with the Gamma Quadrant." Kathryn gulped. Hoped.

"That's pretty far from here. You must have been on the road awhile." She held her breath, bracing for the revelations to come.

**Act Ten**

"Hmm. A while." It was said absentmindedly.

Kathryn waited, a beat, then two, hoping her counterpart would eventually feel compelled to elaborate. She didn't. She just kept working, competently measuring and cutting the next batch of bandages, extending her dark fingernails—causing Kathryn, and several nervous humans, to notice they were retractable—and using them on the bandages like others used a carving knife. Apparently, she didn't mind awkward silences.

Kathryn considered pursuing the matter. She'd been hoping Aislyn would spontaneously launch into the next explanation, offering useful engineering hints as well as entertainment. For this woman was indeed quite entertaining. Despite all her intentions of being suspicious, Kathryn couldn't help but feel at ease with her. When their conversation had started, even the wounded had shifted closer to listen to the woman's stories. Now they were all looking to their leader, hoping she would somehow convince Aislyn to talk about her journey, but Kathryn quickly dismissed the idea. She'd talked with Aislyn long enough to realize that if she'd been prepared to discuss it, she would have. Pressing the issue would only annoy or insult her. Instead, she changed the subject.

"When we first met, you mentioned a sister, Myrial." This earned her an approving smirk from Aislyn. _Smart move,_ she seemed to be saying.

"Well, technically she's my stepsister. My mother married her father when I was nine and she was four. She's been emulating me ever since." Her tone was one of amused exasperation. Charmed, Kathryn pressed on. "You said she'd been impersonating you?"

"Yes, but that was when she was seventeen. A classic case of misplaced pride, or misdirected pride anyway. She'd started a cult and gathered an impressive following. Once I found out, she paid dearly. I arranged it so she'd have an opportunity to walk away. I set her up so that if she did the right thing, she'd come out of it gracefully. Of course, she didn't, and so she ended up exposing herself to everyone she had conned, thoroughly humiliating herself in the process. Let's just say, she learned her lesson. That was fourteen years ago. I haven't had a single problem with her since."

Even as Kathryn's mathematical mind automatically counted the years—and left her mildly surprised that they were the same age, Aislyn's account told her more than she needed to know about how she dealt with those who crossed her, even within her own family. She was reminded that although Aislyn was acting friendly at the moment, she could turn on them in a nanosecond if she decided she had reason to.

_Come to think of it,_ Kathryn realized, _sending Seven to spy on her vessel might have given her just that. Damn_. _Voyager_'s chances of survival were again compromised, and she only had herself to blame for it this time.

She was helping to carry a wounded man to a cot, still silently reprimanding herself, when her comm badge chirped. "Seven of Nine to Captain Kathryn Janeway." The tone was one of clipped efficiency, without even a hint of the shyness or embarrassment that should have accompanied her protégée's first use of her captain's first name. _Only you. _Even as she answered her, the thought made Kathryn smile internally. "Go ahead Seven."

"I have completed the survey you have requested. Shall we meet in your ready room to discuss my findings?" Kathryn's inner smile widened. While most people would have come up with an elaborate lie or invented a pretense to lure her away, Seven stated the facts simply and explicitly, and yet gave nothing away. For all Aislyn knew, the survey could have been about anything from _Voyager_'s structural integrity to the crew's morale. _Again, only you._ "I'm on my way. Janeway out." Sending Aislyn an apologetic smile, Kathryn rose to her feet and left the room.

_**So, your reactions… questions? Comments? Outrage? Whatever they are, please share! As you can see, I really do appreciate **__**– and build on – your constructive criticism.**_


	5. Revelations

_**To my few but precious readers**__**, I'm sorry about the delay. I honestly meant to publish this within the same week as C4, but RL got in the way. I'm sure you all know how it is... I hope you enjoy this new chapter, and I hope it gets those wheels in your heads turning.**_

_**BETA READER: **__Darling, you know I adore you, but this is getting cumbersome. From now on, I will instruct all readers to assume that this entire story, from C3 unto infinity, has been beta-read by Singing Violin. And don't worry, dear readers, the words "darling" and "adore" merely point to a quirky friendship and in no way interfere with Mrs. Violin's recent state of matrimony. ;)_

**Stardate 54073.1 (cont'd****. Yes, it's been a very, very long day.)**

**Act ****Eleven**

When the captain of _Voyager_ entered her ready room, she found Seven was already waiting for her, standing straight, hands clasped behind her back as was her habit. A small nod and a slight curve of lips were Kathryn's only acknowledgements to her astrometrics officer that she'd done something beyond the norm. Then she cut right to the chase. "Well?"

"The first item I noticed was a short text displayed on a separate panel near the hatch. Upon further inspection, I realized it was a copy of a diplomatic treaty. In light of the Federation's policy to adhere to the laws of the cultures they encounter, I thought this would be relevant. Apparently the entire sector has reached an agreement on how to deal with hostile invading forces and newcomers." Kathryn was ecstatic.

"This is excellent, Seven! It should tell us more about how to deal with them, as well as what we can expect from them. Were you able to read it?"

"Yes: it was equipped with a written version of a universal translator. I have memorized it, but to recount it entirely would require too much time. Suffice it to say, this 'Alliance' of what they refer to as 'clans' do not get along well with several foreign species, including one called the Rat'matti, whom were designated as 'greedy conquistadors.' The accompanying insignia was consistent with that on the attacking squadron."

"So, Chakotay's instincts were right on the money," Kathryn reasoned. "Aislyn Janeway already had a beef with the aliens who attacked us, which means she probably was just on the lookout for their weapons signature, and finding us here was pure happenstance."

"It would appear so, Captain." Seven confirmed. "However, there is one more important law that you should be aware of."

Kathryn nodded. "I'm listening."

"Strange vessels who come alone and unprotected cannot claim the protection of any one clan, but they are permitted to enter into trade agreements if they have something of value to offer. Otherwise, they are encouraged to evacuate the sector as promptly as possible."

"That shouldn't be a problem. We were only passing through anyway. I'm sure they'll let us be on our way as soon as soon as we're done with repairs." _And as soon as I figure out who this Janeway woman really is,_ she added for herself.

"That is a problem, Captain—their laws clearly state that if a vessel is damaged to a point where it cannot defend itself, any one of the clans has a legal right to seize the vessel and claim it as their own. Even the lives of the captive crew will automatically be pledged to that clan, who can then reassign them to postings of the clan leader's choice. The captured crew would have no legal standing to appeal this decision, to their captors or to any other local authority."

Kathryn gulped. Unless she was very much mistaken and B'Elanna had pulled off a very large miracle in the last few hours, _Voyager_ was currently in just such a position. That meant that, should Aislyn claim her legal right to seize _Voyager_ and its crew, there wasn't a single thing she could do about it, unless of course she bent the Prime Directive backwards and fought her way out. It was an easy decision—she'd promised to get her people home, and she fully intended to keep that promise. She told Seven as much before sardonically adding, "Well, if that panel was right on their hull, at least we can't say they didn't warn us. How about their vessel itself? Were you able to learn anything about it?"

"There were no particular safeguards or locking mechanisms preventing entry to the vessel. As a result, I gained access to it quite easily." This surprised Kathryn, but Seven quickly answered her questioning glance, "I did suspect a trap or an alarm system, but found none." Uncertain whether she should be relieved or worried, the captain nodded for Seven to continue.

"I began by observing the interior. It is stark: it holds twelve seats and small computer consoles. There are no replicators; the only signs of organic life are a very small food storage unit and minimalist hygienic facilities—including a type of sonic shower." Kathryn smirked at the mention of the shower. The lack of accommodations and necessity for hard work during long periods of time were cause for most of Starfleet's complaints about away missions. "All right Seven, what else did you see?"

"I noted that the walls, seats and consoles are black, and that even their maximum lighting would be considered insufficient by our standards. This could indicate a nocturnal species." Understanding where she was going with this, Kathryn nodded and made a mental note to avoid a fight with them in the dark. As long as _Voyager_'s main power held out, that shouldn't be a problem. "Okay. And then?"

"The front of the vessel accommodates two pilots, and the controls allow for an unusually wide range of flying maneuvers. Based on those controls and the readings I subsequently obtained from their engineering console, I estimate that their basic speed and maneuverability is approximately 37.8% superior to the Delta Flyer's. In that respect, they are more advanced than any vessel the collective had ever encountered while I was still a member." _Okay, _Kathryn mused, more impressed than daunted, _so we won't play tag with them. There are still plenty of other ways to outmaneuver a ship in a conflict._

"However," Seven continued, "I was intrigued by their engine configuration; it is not capable of warp speed. As they obviously have warp capability, I find that a curious choice." The elder woman was stunned as well. "Then again," she reasoned, "if it really is a short range vessel, maybe they thought it wasn't necessary to go to warp to accomplish whatever it is they usually do with it."

"Perhaps," Seven conceded, but neither of them could help but wonder why such a technologically advanced group would voluntarily omit that most basic of engine configurations. Seven proceeded with her report.

"Their weapons array would impress most crude species, but it is merely average by Borg and Federation standards. Based on their own data, the yield of even their strongest ammunition is only half as damaging as that of a photon torpedo. Their targeting mechanisms, however, are the most sophisticated I have ever encountered. They can accurately pinpoint a target only one meter wide, from as far away as two parsecs. They are obviously more concerned with precision than the force of the impact."

_Smart, calculating, _the captain deduced. _Instead of wasting time showing off, they'd go straight for the kill._ As dangerous as that could make them, Kathryn couldn't help but feel a secret thrill; this was her favorite kind of challenge. "Okay Seven, what else?"

"I was unable to access the information pertaining to their shield harmonics, but I did find a panel that illustrated varying degrees of protection. The top three levels indicated different measures of sensor invisibility," the young Borg informed her.

"Which means they have some sort of cloaking device," the captain finished for her. _Of course they do, _Janeway sighed to herself, _otherwise it would be too easy._

"What about their power source?" the matriarch asked.

"That information was also restricted." Seven informed her.

"With higher security clearance levels?" Janeway inquired.

"No; it was encrypted, along with 82% of the computer's database. Approximately half of the encryption algorithms used were of unknown origin, presumably that of Aislyn Janeway's race. The other half was Borg." Janeway thought back to the cybernetic medics currently working in her own Mess Hall. "At least six members of her crew are Borg," she informed her spy. "She most likely recruited their expertise like I recruited yours."

"Indeed," the ex-drone nodded. "There wasn't much time; however, being Borg myself, I did manage to activate their shuttlecraft's sensor array and use it to scan their ship."

"Using their own technology against them?" the captain laughed.

"It was the most efficient way to gather information," the young blonde deadpanned.

"Of course it was",Kathryn grinned."So, what did you find?"

"I scanned their vessel for a power core and found several. Most of them are mineral in origin, but it is a substance with which the Borg are unfamiliar. Its energy output is surprisingly efficient." _Wow, coming from Seven, that's the mother of all high praise. Another groundbreaking point for my namesake._ "You said _most_ of them were mineral?"

"Yes. I also detected Borg transwarp technology. It is fully functional and could rival that of any Borg vessel." _The green flash we saw when Aislyn's vessel appeared, _Janeway recalled. Still, it was excellent news. If Kathryn could make friends with them, then perhaps Aislyn would be willing to share some of that technology to help get _Voyager_ home. Her heart skipping out of its cage, the captain stilled herself to give her protégée the understatement of the year. "Thank you, Seven. You've given me more tactical information than I could have expected."

A dignified nod was Seven's only acknowledgement of her mentor's praise before she added, "There is more, Captain."

"Oh?"

"I also completed several bio-scans. Most of the individuals aboard Aislyn Janeway's vessel are of what you refer to as a 'melting pot' of various humanoid species, but I did find something unusual. In addition to eight Borg drones, there are five individual energy signatures on board. By our own standards, they wouldn't register as life signs, but their computer counted them as if they were members of the crew." _So what the hell are they? _Responding to her mentor's silent query, Seven added, "I do not understand their nature either. We must be dealing with a radically different form of life."

"Either that or they've done something to alter their bio-signatures," Kathryn reflected. "Did you find any evidence to support that sort of thing?"

"None," was the spy's response, "but there was much in their computers that I could not access. I cannot be certain either way." Kathryn looked pensive for a while, trying to weigh the odds of each possibility. While there was ample precedent for both, it seemed unlikely that these strangers had purposely tampered with their own bio-signatures so significantly. Surely they'd known that _Voyager_'s sensors had been rendered useless by the attacking aliens, and the shuttlecraft's had been protected by multiple Borg algorithms. The only people who could have scanned them were their own. Why would anybody go to such lengths to conceal themselves…from themselves?

"There is something else, Captain." Seven waited patiently for her leader to emerge from her thoughts and focus back on her. "When I turned their scanners on _Voyager_, their computer automatically isolated their crew's readings from ours. Theirs were all located in the Mess Hall. They included six additional Borg drones, as well as one living energy signature." _Aislyn._

**Act Twelve**

_Who the __Hell is this woman? _Kathryn wondered. Even as her scientist's mind reveled with questions, her heart broke. "So, I guess that answers one question. Aislyn and I aren't related after all."

"I didn't say that."

Stunned, Kathryn looked up at her protégée. "What are you saying, Seven?"

With obvious pride, the young officer announced, "I located the Captain's personnel files in their vessel's common database—the names of the files weren't encrypted, only the contents were—and I spent my last 8 point 5 minutes aboard 'hacking' them. I found Aislyn's birth certificate. Her mother was named Vuriel and was listed as a Daimon, a species unknown to the Borg. It is written that she originated from a planet called Casa Nostra."

"Yes," a puzzled Kathryn confirmed, "Aislyn mentioned that was the name of her home planet." After a curt nod, Seven continued with her explanations. "Her father was identified, and I quote, as 'Henry Janeway IV, Human. Origin: planet Earth.' "

_Oh my God. _Kathryn felt the air rush out of her. She actually stood there heaving while her protégée awkwardly placed a hand on her arm and patiently waited for her to recover. "Seven," she finally managed, "Henry Janeway IV was my father's older brother. That makes Aislyn..."

"Your first cousin," Seven finished for her, understanding her distress more than she let on. After all, she'd looked for any excuse not to read her parents' journals when the need had arisen, and to have termed herself nervous to talk to her aunt for the first time on those monthly long-range communications would have been a gross understatement. Encouraged that her captain hadn't yet removed her arm from her touch, Seven next mimicked the soothing rubbing gestures that her mentor had used on her own arm whenever she was hurt or afraid. "Captain..." The woman in question suddenly grabbed her temples as tears streamed down her face. Seven hastily removed her hand.

"I'm sorry, Captain, that was inappropriate, I..."

"No, it's—my head. Oh! My..." She couldn't finish her sentence, the pain was so debilitating. She hadn't felt it that strongly since..._since the time I was late with my medication_. "How can this be? I was just injected this morning."

"Captain?" Kathryn was startled to realize she'd mumbled aloud. She should have found a way to backtrack, make her remark seem innocuous, but she couldn't think. Even as she struggled to regain control, the shearing pain intensified even further. She was barely aware of Seven catching her before she lost consciousness.

_**Okay, t**__**alk to me people. Please? This is me giving you my most charming smile **__****_


	6. Confrontations

_**Hello People. I'm baaaack. And this time I'm correcting myself all on my own. Hope you enjoy!**_

**Stardate 54073.****3**

**Act ****Thirteen**

The stars were accusingly still as Kathryn passed them on her way to the Bridge. How could everything go so wrong, so fast? With her ship, her crew, even her health? She could still hear the stern words of caution in the doctor's voice when he told her the news: her body is rejecting the medicine this time; reason unknown. She'd even started mutating on a microcellular level. The Doc had had to triple the morning's dosage to stabilize her DNA again.

"What's happening to me?" she'd asked in a hoarse whisper.

"I'm not sure," came the Doctor's humble response. "I've collected data on what's happened to you today; I'll begin a new in-depth study of your condition. Perhaps... I can uncover something we'd missed." He didn't sound particularly confident, which, coming from the hologram, was _not_ reassuring. Normally, the man could do anything with a laboratory. Then again, she reminded herself, the lab resources _were_ short that day.

She'd tried to shake the mood, that creeping sense that her world was about to end, but this time, it was much harder than usual. Her only comfort was that circumstance had brought Seven of Nine in on the secret. Indeed, the young woman had refused to leave Sickbay while her mentor was being treated, and the doctor had known better than to argue with her. Besides, he happened to be of the opinion that Seven's brilliant mind could only help the situation.

At first, when she realized this, Kathryn had been furious with them both for forcing her to expose her greatest weakness. But then, as her protégée assured her that she would shortly find a treatment for her condition—after all, she _was_ Borg—Kathryn felt a long-forgotten warmth swell inside her: hope. Who'd ever thought that one day she'd thank every god in the universe for the Borg?

Unfortunately, Seven's expertise in genetics was just about the only thing going for her at the moment, Kathryn reflected as she passed yet another silent window. After she'd convinced Seven and the doctor to let her resume her duties, she'd met with Chakotay to exchange progress reports. Chakotay had gone first. The ultimate casualty list was even worse than she'd anticipated: 42 dead, and 38 critically wounded. Everyone else had sustained at least a fracture or severe hematomas. Kathryn took this news even harder than that of her own health problems, but both leaders knew they couldn't dwell on those they had lost: they had to focus on the ones who were still alive.

Chakotay then informed her that the surviving crew was on the mend, in large part thanks to Aislyn's help; _Voyager_, however, was a different story. Until they could find a sufficient supply of dilithium, their warp core would remain useless; as it was, they could barely make a quarter-impulse, which wasn't nearly enough to reach any natural resource in their section of space. Also, their sensors were only half repaired, and their shields and weapons were still offline, which basically left them defenseless. What was worse, they couldn't produce new energy, and their power reserves were draining fast. They'd suspected a leak, but by the time they'd found it—with so few crewmembers available to climb and crawl the jeffries tubes—they'd already lost half their reserves. They'd evacuated more than half the ship and sealed those decks to save on environmental support, but that would only buy them a week, maybe two. Swallowing back the thorny ball of anxiety rising in her throat, Kathryn had reassured her first officer that they'd get through this, one step at a time. Perhaps their new friend would be willing to help some more.

In return for his report, she'd told him everything she and Seven had learned about Aislyn and her crew, including the clause in the local treaty and the possibility of being claimed by a local clan. They both hoped it would not come to that until they were ready to put up a fight. Kathryn then informed him of their apparent family ties. To her dismay, Chakotay hadn't been the least bit surprised. "You have the same laugh," was all he'd said.

**Act Fourteen**

It was with a resolute step that the captain returned to her official post at the command centre of the ship. Entering the Bridge, she first thought it had been deserted. As she walked further in, she noticed Aislyn Janeway was waiting silently, provocatively sprawled in the captain's chair. Her heart sank.

The foreign Janeway knew, and she was apparently taking command. But Kathryn would be damned if she let the ship go without a diplomatic fight.

"Your crew took quite a beating," her newfound cousin began.

"Yes, they did." Kathryn agreed, draining every emotion from her voice except for her pride in her people's bravery.

"So did you," she added, intently gazing at Kathryn. She furrowed her brow in... was it solicitude? Kathryn couldn't be sure.

"I'm fine now," she stated. Aislyn nodded, looking genuinely worried, but letting it pass. The Delta Quadrant native continued with her factual recap of the day.

"Those who survived are out of the woods now. My medics took our shuttlecraft back to our ship, and yours are just bandaging the last of the scrapes and bruises." Again, despite her arrogant stance on the chair, Aislyn's tone of voice revealed nothing but gentle, civilized caring for her fellow woman.

Kathryn was slightly confused by this new development. It meant the foreign captain had stayed behind alone, without any direct means to return to her ship. Either she wasn't planning a hostile invasion, or she was so confident her people had the upper hand she hadn't even bothered. Considering their respective crews' current status, Kathryn had to admit the second option was more likely, and worse, she couldn't blame her. She shuddered inwardly at the thought. Still, she stood firm.

"I know your engines have failed, and that your weapons and shields are still off-line," Aislyn continued. "I also know you're rapidly losing your power reserves, with no resources on hand to produce some more. By all definitions, your vessel has officially become helpless."

"For now," Kathryn conceded. She knew better than to lie about the obvious. "But we'll manage. We've gotten out of far worse situations than this," she lied. To always project confidence was the first rule of thumb for any self-respecting captain. Unfortunately, Aislyn being a self-respecting captain herself, she knew all about that particular mantra, and wasn't fooled. Her smile was almost feral as she rose to look Kathryn straight in the eye.

"You're lying," she stated. She seemed pleased. "There have been many events during which you and your crew have demonstrated remarkable ingenuity, but none as dire as this." A faint look of surprise passed on Kathryn's face. Aislyn sounded so certain, almost as if...

"What? You think you're the only one who can access an alien database?" Aislyn mocked with a raised eyebrow. So, she'd hacked _Voyager_'s records, _and_ she knew about Seven's incursion into her shuttlecraft. _Looks like the cat's out of the bag,_ Kathryn thought. Because her counterpart's knack for seemingly knowing everything unnerved her, she didn't waste time denying the truth.

"No, but I am surprised that you managed at all. You and your crew were under tight surveillance while you were here," Kathryn retorted with more than a hint of defiance.

"True," Aislyn acknowledged, unphased by Kathryn's distrust, "but you couldn't watch the people who'd stayed behind on my ship, could you? I guess that makes us even," she smiled. _Well, at least she hasn't threatened further retaliation. _Emboldened by despair, Kathryn pressed the issue. "Still, we know you didn't communicate with your ship for the whole time you were here. Or did you mask your comm signal too?"

Aislyn gave a familiar lopsided grin. "Who needs communication technology when your species naturally shares a permanent telepathic link?"

"Ah." Was Kathryn's immediate response. She inwardly gave a weighty sigh. _Of course they do. They have all the super-technology, why shouldn't they have the super-powers too?_ She couldn't help but be reminded of the Borg collective.

No matter how much of an optimist she was, Kathryn was learning that this group would have been exceptionally difficult to beat even if _Voyager_ and her crew been in peak condition. In present circumstances, it would be nearly impossible. She saw it as just one more reason for her to try her best to make friends. And present a strong front.

"So, I gather there must be some reason you chose to stay behind here, alone, without backup."

Aislyn laughed at the implied threat. "Isn't it obvious... cousin?"

Kathryn could only gape in shock.

**Act Fifteen**

It was Aislyn who first broke the silence. "Relax, Cous. I'm as curious about you as you probably are about me. What do you say we set our respective captainhoods aside for a moment, and get to know each other a little?"

"No."

Aislyn seemed genuinely dismayed.

For the life of her, Kathryn couldn't explain why she'd turned down so abruptly what she wanted so badly. But the danger this alien crew presented to her own was so absolute, she could only feel they were being toyed with before the predators went for the final kill. She decided it was high time she take back this conversation.

"By the way, _cousin_, Kathryn spat, almost choking on the word, we never did learn the name of your ship, or your current mission. Care to enlighten us?" Aislyn's face fell into a beautiful pout.

"All business, huh?" Kathryn stood firm, unmoved. "Okay, fine." Aislyn rose to pace the lower part of the Bridge. "We are the Fury. We patrol space for our own pleasure, like pirates of old. We play where we like, we sleep with whom we choose, and we always pick sides in a fight. Puts the spice back in life, wouldn't you say?"

Kathryn remained still as a statue, but her eyes burned with passion. This was the most anti-federation mission she could have thought of, short of outright violence. Still, reading between the lines, there seemed to be some exploration in there, somewhere. It was a point in common. A way in.

"So, Kathryn started, we're both explorers. Our mission is—"

"To explore the universe and meet its cultures, to boldly go where no one has gone before, yadda yadda yadda." Aislyn sneered. "How quaint. How do you manage to survive in such... inaction? Even if you've managed not to get yourself killed—you can thank me later—how do you not die of sheer boredom?"

"You'd be surprised how challenging diplomacy can be," Kathryn began, but she was immediately cut off by an incensed Aislyn.

"Oh, don't give me that crap. Maybe you think your so-called diplomacy is preserving your independence right now? Please, the only reason your ship isn't scrapped for parts and your crew aren't all slaves is my good humor. And that can change very soon if you keep having the arrogance of back-talking me without so much as the whisper of a thank you for saving your miserable asses."

Kathryn bit back a retort. She was usually one to preach her point, but, hell, she _was_ at this woman's mercy. And whether she liked it or not, she was the only reason that _Voyager_ still had a glimmer of hope for survival instead of being blown to smithereens. And she never _had_ properly thanked her. She had to swallow her pride, not because she wasn't one to thank a benefactor, which she was, but because she hated being in a submissive position. Wasn't that the whole point of being captain?

"You're right, Kathryn admitted. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Aislyn gave a satisfied nod. "Now, I'm taking possession of _Voyager_ and all of her assets, effective immediately. You and your crew are now under my command. And though slavery is tempting, you're all much too competent to waste on menial chores."

Kathryn's heart was crushed. She knew she had no physical or diplomatic recourse left, let alone a legal one. The relief of not being enslaved didn't even register after the horror that it would have been an option in the first place. "Thank you for recognizing that," she spit out. But Aislyn wasn't done.

"You're entirely welcome. Now, would you be so kind as to open a comm. link to your whole ship?" When Kathryn didn't budge, Aislyn walked over and did it herself. Evidently she had been studying their specs. She hailed the _Voyager_ crew.

"Attention people, this is Captain Janeway speaking. This is a peaceful takeover, is it not, _Kathryn_?" She didn't even wait for an answer. "My people have been organizing transports for this crew. You will evacuate _Voyager_ and be relocated aboard the Fury to Residential Quarter 8. You are to remain there until your skills can be assessed by my chief of staff and you are reassigned. As of now, regardless of race, gender or age, you are full on members of my crew, on equal ground with the rest of us. I expect you to act accordingly; else you'll be confined to the dungeons. And yes, I do mean dungeons. It's been a pleasure dealing with you, ladies and gentlemen. Janeway out." And with that, she turned off the comm. system with a flourish.

_**To be continued... don't worry, you don't think I'd actually give up on **_**Voyager**_** so easily, do you? Don't forget to review!**_


	7. Occupations

**Stardate 54073.3**

**Act Sixteen**

As she and her crew were being escorted through the dark pulsing corridors of the _Fury_, Kathryn Janeway struggled to maintain her usual composure. Thankfully, the doctor had managed to set aside enough hyposprays to medicate her for a few days, even with the heightened dosage. Hopefully, they would be allowed to import a few replicators in their new quarters. Refusing to dwell on her declining health any longer, she asked her armed "guide," "so, where do you keep the slaves?"

"What slaves?" he asked as if she were hallucinating.

"The slaves your captain keeps handy," Kathryn replied, without a dent in her confidence. The guard replied, "I wouldn't joke about that if I were you. You mention the word slave to the captain and she'll declare World War IV just to free one enslaved person. She doesn't like any threat to freedom, that one."

From the mixture of admiration and fear in his voice, Kathryn was inclined to believe him. _How about that,_ Kathryn mused, _Aislyn has a sense of humour. A morbid one, but still. She'd get along famously with Seven of Nine._

At first, she was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't notice her people had been guided to a different corridor. "What's going on?" she asked haughtily.

"Your crew is being escorted to their new quarters as promised, their guide said, equally belligerent. "Captain Janeway wishes to see _you_ personally before you settle in. Please follow me." The mock politeness in his tone oddly set Kathryn's mind at ease. No one jokes around like that unless they're either very friendly or complete psychopaths. And despite all evidence to the contrary, Kathryn had a gut feeling they weren't psychopaths. She hoped with all her heart and soul that she wasn't wrong. Her long walk ended in front of a large gleaming black double-door, with hinges glowing red, similar to their shuttle's décor. After opening them and announcing her arrival, the guide left her to herself, doors soundlessly shutting behind her.

"Hi," Aislyn said simply. She was beautifully dressed in a rose kimono-type robe with a glossy satin sash tied at the waist. She looked like a princess in her boudoir more than a captain in her... what _was_ this room, anyway? Not bothering to wait for a reply, Aislyn continued, "Long time no see."

"We saw each other this morning to prepare the transport," Kathryn replied tartly.

"That's not what I meant," Aislyn countered, with... was it hurt in her voice?

"I know."

**Act Seventeen**

It was hard for Kathryn to admit it. The fact was, they were long lost cousins, and while neither woman was accustomed to vulnerability, both desperately wanted to explore that connection. She decided it was high time she take back the offensive.

"What exactly are you looking for here?"

"Sincerity," Aislyn replied without missing a beat. "It's about damn time you showed me some." Kathryn reeled.

"And you? That comment about sparing us from slavery? From what I hear, you couldn't make a slave with a phaser to your head." Aislyn smirked.

"Ah, you've made fast work of figuring me out. I only said that to provoke you into cooperation. You were pissing me off." She paused a moment to let Kathryn digest this. "The fact is, from minute one I've been nothing but sincere, and you have yet to show me the same respect."

Kathryn opened her mouth to argue, but then shut it again as she considered. Playing back the last couple of days in her mind's eye, she was forced to agree she'd been less than welcoming on the personal front. Why? _Because I have so much to lose, that's why._

_And you think I don't?_ Kathryn was surprised to hear Aislyn's voice clear as a bell when her lips hadn't so much as twitched. _Of course she's a telepath,_ Kathryn thought, annoyed at herself. _ I should have figured it out much sooner from the way she knows everything before anything is actually said._

"You know, in my culture it's considered rude to read people's minds without permission," Kathryn stated. Aislyn merely raised an eyebrow. She was avoiding the issue and they both knew it. Of course they did.

"You're right," Kathryn conceded. "But surely you understand, as a captain, that business comes first."

"I do," Aislyn said gently. "To business, then. I intend to make you my first officer." Kathryn blinked. _What? Why?_

"Why not?" Aislyn replied as if she'd spoken aloud. "I don't currently have one. I'm my own chief of staff. And I rather like the idea of sharing the load with an equal. It would give me more time to enjoy my own ship."

"Just like that?" Kathryn was disbelieving. "And how do you know I'm your equal? Did you conclude that through reading my mind too?" Aislyn smiled.

"No. From the way you insist on playing the upper hand you never had with me. I love a woman who refuses to admit defeat, even after it slaps her in the face and follows up with a sucker punch." Now it was Kathryn who smiled, genuinely, for the first time in days.

"Well, you wouldn't expect anything less from your first officer, would you?"


	8. Explorations

**Stardate 54073.3**

**Act ****Eighteen**

First officer Kathryn Janeway regarded her apprehensive crew with one of her trademark reassuring smiles.

"First of all, let me assure each and every one of you that we are all going to be all right."

And indeed they were. Captain Aislyn Janeway had turned out to be surprisingly easy to negotiate with, once Kathryn had agreed to the legal terms of the local treaty forcing her and her crew to "belong" to the _Fury_. She had without hesitation agreed that the starship _Voyager_ should be rebuilt. Her only condition was that she refused to let the latter's crew isolate themselves from her own by working only on their ship. She wanted both crews to mix and work on both the mothership and all of her float, including the newly acquired _Voyager_. Seeing the Federation crew was naturally inclined to curiosity and mingling, Kathryn didn't anticipate a problem on her end. But that wasn't the best news of all.

Captain Janeway had inherited from her ancestors a certain map that contained several corridors of subspace, corridors that provided shortcuts through every quadrant of the known universe. This map included the corridor that Kathryn and Aislyn's ancestors had used to travel from Earth to Terra Nova, Aislyn's home planet. They were finally going home.

**The End?**

_**Would you like to read adventures aboard the Fury? Would you like to visit Terra Nova? And what about Kathryn's mysterious illness? Anyone up for vol.2?**_


End file.
